What Are Some Free Word Processing Programs?

AbiWord, Jarte, Google Docs and Apache OpenOffice Writer are all free word processing programs. Some of the applications are available for online use, while others are downloaded directly to a computer.

AbiWord is a word processing program that is similar to Microsoft Word. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. The program is compatible with Word and Word Perfect programs. AbiWord features several document layouts including bullets, lists, images, headers and footnotes. Several plugins are also available for advanced word processing. AbiWord is a downloadable program.

Jarte is a downloadable word processor compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. It features advanced page layout including lists, images, bullets and tables. Formatting options include left, right or center justification, line spacing, and paragraph spacing. The program fits on a thumb drive for use on different devices.

Google Docs is a Web-based word processing programs that allows users to share documents. Google Docs offers many formatting options and allows multiple users access to the same document. Google Docs can save documents in Word, ODT, PDT, plain text or RTF formats. Users access Google Docs through their Google accounts and can save documents online or download directly to their computers.

Apache OpenOffice Writer is a downloadable word processor capable of creating anything from simple documents to complete books. The software features document wizards for formatting common documents and a library of standard templates. OpenOffice Writer features auto correct for spelling errors and auto complete for common phrases. It also features advanced desktop publishing tools for creating tables of contents and indexes.